Psoriasis: A Laughing Matter?

When was the last time you laughed about psoriasis? As the fall turns to winter here in Southern California, the condition of my skin has turned from somewhat annoying to painful breakouts. When the dots get redder, begin a serious offensive against neighboring skin, and recruit friends, psoriasis is not an object of humor. That’s why I was interested to hear about comedian Jon Lovitz’s new public service announcements sponsored by Centocor Ortho Biotech Inc. (makers of Remicade, used for psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis, and Stelara, indicated for psoriasis) and the National Psoriasis Foundation (NPF).

Lovitz says in a recent interview on the Today show that he is not making fun of psoriasis, but making fun of himself. If you watch the videos at Are You Serious? ™ you’ll see that he is using humor and Hollywood production to tell his own story of treating severe psoriasis and to educate those who think psoriasis is just dry skin. I definitely remember him on Saturday Night Live, and in one of my all-time favorite baseball movies, A League of Their Own. Now he’s using his celebrity to raise awareness about psoriasis. It’s worth a look for a laugh at something that many of us know from daily experience is a serious condition.

These celebrity announcements are a mixed bag for me, however. On one hand, I feel just a little bit taller when I see people who could have a lot to lose, such as singer LeAnn Rimes, golfer Phil Mickelson, and now comedian Jon Lovitz, so publicly share their psoriasis experiences. On the other hand, my cynical side tells me that these public services are really slick, back-door ways for these sponsoring companies to attract a segment of the psoriasis community into using their latest prescription medication. Either way, I remind myself that I still have the last say in what goes into my body and what treatments I use or don’t use. If these celebrity endorsements bring psoriasis awareness and education, and assist an organization such as the NPF, then I’m all for it.

This is Thanksgiving week, which also marks my third anniversary writing this blog. The blog started out as a way for me to work out my emotional, spiritual, and treatment journey in a way that I hoped would benefit others. But the irony is that sharing the journey with those of you who comment and read along probably benefits me just as much, if not more. While that’s no laughing matter, it sure does bring a huge smile to my face knowing we’re all in this together. And that’s something to be thankful for!

If you get a chance to watch the interview with Jon Lovitz, or his PSA videos, leave a comment letting us all know what you think.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Howard Chang

Howard Chang has lived with severe psoriasis for more than 35 years since childhood. He is a volunteer for the National Psoriasis Foundation. Howard works as a Christian spiritual advisor and is a married...read more